Staff awards 2015 – and making time to enjoy the world around us

Our area was again represented at the UWE Staff Awards 2015 – both for outstanding teaching in the category of student-led teaching awards (Anna Piasecki and Jonathan Charteris-Black were mentioned as they won an award each, and most of our staff were shortlisted!), as well as for something a little different:

I won the first UWE photo competition with this picture of the Canada Geese that have made UWE their home:

This family of geese (there’s more than one!) live near Q-block. I had brought in my camera that day hoping to get pictures of them. Walking to Q-block I initially couldn’t find any of the babies, when I realised that something was poking out from under one goose’s wings! This photo was taken when they had just woken up and were getting ready to go for a walk. I spent about 20 minutes with them after that (goose mum and dad had a careful eye on me at all times). It was good fun and lovely to see the little ones explore the world around them!

It’s good – and healthy, I believe – to take some time out and enjoy nature around you – especially on our campus, where there’s lots of see. We’ve got a number of very rare native orchids: wasp orchid and the white flavescent variety of bee orchid – amongst hundreds of regular bee orchids, Southern March orchids and common spotted orchids). We’ve got deer, reed buntings (birds) and many other interesting animals. And even the more ‘common’ (some may even say ‘invasive’ species) like Canada Geese can be great to watch!

Anyway, thank you to all staff who voted for my picture – and those responsible for shortlisting it in the first place!